


All Those Little Moments

by Journalist298



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV 2020)
Genre: Everyone Is Alive, F/M, Julie and Luke grow up together, Rose still dies, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, alive!au, just fluff, just so much fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:07:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29575842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Journalist298/pseuds/Journalist298
Summary: Friends forever, Julie Molina and Luke Patterson were always meant to be together.Just a series of the individual, chronological threads that make up the tapestry of the love of Julie and Luke.
Relationships: Julie Molina & Luke Patterson, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Comments: 42
Kudos: 168





	All Those Little Moments

**He’s six**

when Luke Patterson announces to his mother that he’s going to marry Julie Molina.

Emily Patterson had had an utterly exhausting day at work, but the sight of her son standing before her at his after school program, his face set in an expression of resolute determination, she couldn’t help the smile that crept over her face.

She kneels before him, adjusting the straps of his backpack. “Is that right? Is your future wife nice?”

Luke stared at his mother and nodded earnestly. “She shared her fav-rit marker with me because I needed purple for the horn.”

“Wow, this sounds serious then, I like her already. Anything else I should know about Julie?”

“She singed me a Feel Better song when Bobby pushed me down. She’s the bestest singer in the world.”

“Well, I’ll be having a talk with Bobby’s mum, but that was very nice of Julie to make you feel better.” Emily stood up and took her son’s hand as they headed back to the car. “How does Julie’s Feel Better song go?”

**He’s seven**

and Luke is already sitting outside his classroom when Emily arrives to pick him up, but she’s surprised by the sight of her normally happy son looking forlornly at a crying girl next to him.

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” she asks, kneeling down in front of the sobbing girl.

The little girl looks up, her face close, and she’s all big brown eyes and curly dark hair. Beside her, Luke’s eyes are sad as he pats the girl softly on her head.

“Sweetie, are you hurt? What’s wrong?” Emily asks again, darting her eyes over the little girl, looking for any sign of injury. “Luke, honey, do you know what’s wrong?”

Luke shook his head as he continued patting her head. “Julie was already crying when I came out. What’s wrong with her, Mummy?”

Ah, so this was Julie.

“Julie, sweetheart, are you here alone, where’s your Mummy?”

Julie started crying harder and Luke’s little arms flailed for a moment in panic, before he settled on a two-handed, sideways awkward hug.

“My – my – my…”

Julie tried to speak but she let out a series of hysterical sobs. Emily put her hands on either side of Julie’s face and showed her how to take deep breaths.

“My Mummy is sick,” the little girl managed.

Emily’s face softened in concern. “Is someone picking you up, Julie?”

Julie nods and looks at a nearby clock. “My Tia is coming when the big hand is down and the little hand is on four.”

She held up four fingers. Emily frowned in concern. 4.30pm was a long time for a little girl to be waiting alone.

“Sweetheart, do you have a phone number for your Tia? I’m Luke’s Mummy, maybe we can give you a ride instead?”

Julie sniffed, looking at Luke for a moment and then back to Emily. Then she nodded and reached into her bag to pull out a laminated card. She handed it to Emily and pointed at a ‘Victoria’ on the card.

Emily stood up and walked a little bit aways to call the number on the card. It didn’t even take two rings for the other end to pick up.

“Yes, hello?” said a stressed Hispanic female voice on the other end.

“Hello, is this Victoria? My name is Emily Patterson and my son Luke goes to school with your niece Julie.”

“Is she okay?” Victoria responded urgently.

“She’s very upset. I understand her mother is sick and you’re coming to pick her up at 4.30pm?”

“Yes, I am trying to rush, but my brother-in-law has rushed Rose to the hospital and I need to pick up Carlos from daycare first before I can make it to Julie’s school.”

The poor woman sounded as if she was on the verge of tears. “I am so sorry your family is going through this. I still have Luke’s smaller car seat in my car, I could bring her to the hospital to save you some time?”

Victoria was silent for a moment on the other line. “I – I couldn’t ask you to do – ”

“You don’t know me, I understand. Here, I’ll take a photo of myself and my son with Julie so you know who we are.” Emily walked back over to Luke and Julie, and sat down. “Julie, sweetie; my little Lukie, look here at the phone and we’ll take a quick photo to send to Auntie Victoria so she knows you’re safe.”

It took a few moments and then Emily sent the photo to Victoria and waited. “I – gracias – thank you – if you could bring Julie to the hospital, that would really help.”

Victoria told Emily the name of the hospital and thanked her again for her help. Emily handed the phone to Julie and the little girl clutched the phone to her ear to listen to her Aunt. That settled, the women rung off.

“I’m coming with you?” Julie asked.

“Yes, come along sweetie, we’ll take you to your Mummy and Daddy.”

Luke jumped to his feet and didn’t even hesitate as he took Julie’s hand as they walked back to the car. The little girl walked beside him, wiping her face with the back of her free hand.

The car ride is quiet, save for Julie’s sniffles and at one time when she checked on them through the rearview mirror, she saw Luke was still holding her hand across the middle seat. Not long later, she realised Luke was singing to Julie. The little girl joined in quickly and while she couldn’t make out all the words, she did hear “Feel Better”.

The 30 minute car ride is over blessedly quickly and Luke held Julie’s hand all the way to the front door of the emergency entrance, where a stressed woman holding a young, squirming toddler was standing. “Julie!” the woman exclaimed. “Thank you, thank you so much. God bless you.”

There are tears in the eyes of who she assumed was Victoria. Julie let go of Luke’s hand but instead gave him a hug. When she moved over to her Aunt, who leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the top of the head, Julie waved at both the Pattersons.

“Buh-bye,” she said, her eyes still sad and teary.

“Bye, Julie,” Luke waved back.

Emily waved too. “Bye, sweetie.”

Later that night when Emily recounts the day’s events to her husband Mitch, she looks properly at the picture she sent to Victoria. In her concentration to angle the phone to have all three of them in frame, she hadn’t noticed that Luke had one arm around Julie’s shoulders and the little girl was resting her head on his shoulder, curling her arms around his middle. If it wasn’t for the seriousness of the situation, it would be completely adorable.

**She’s seven**

when she kisses Luke to the first time.

It’s been nine months since Luke and his parents had become a fixture and close family friends with the Molina family. After the shocking revelation of Rose’s cancer diagnosis and subsequent surgery and chemotherapy, the Molina family approached Luke and Emily at the end of a school day to thank them for their kindness.

Dinners, playdates and sleepovers followed. But today was Julie’s seventh birthday, so it was a special occasion. The Molinas’ music studio and space outside it was decked out in colour, games and food.

Luke’s there, of course, as is Flynn, a new girl in her class and Julie adopted as her “sister”. There are other school friends there too, but none as dear to her as Luke and Flynn. The kids are playing Chasie when Rose and Ray arrive with the birthday cake.

Corralled around a table, everyone sings Happy Birthday to a grinning Julie, her birthday hat askew on her head. Flynn’s on her left, Luke on her right, when Ray carefully hands Julie the knife and guides her to cut the cake.

“Careful, mija, if you touch the bottom when you cut the cake, you have to kiss the closest boy,” Rose laughed, her phone out as she took photos.

Julie considered her mother for a moment, looked first at Luke and then around her. Seemingly satisfied, she pressed the knife down firmly, then turned in one swift moment to kiss Luke on the cheek. All the adults laughed, none more heartily than Rose, who had captured the moment on camera and sent it to Emily.

Luke watched Julie as she, with her father’s guidance, cut some more pieces of birthday cake for the guests. If anyone saw him touch his cheek, they didn’t mention it.

**She’s ten**

when he makes her cry. It’s not his fault and there’s nothing he can do when, just before the start of the school year, Julie is stomping around Luke’s bedroom, crying furiously. He just watches her, ignoring the pencil case he’s been packing.

“It’s all your fault!” she cried.

“That I’m a year older than you? I can’t help that, Julie!”

“You’re going to middle school! Without me!” her tone is appalled, like him being older is a personal affront. “You’re going to forget about me! I’ll be a baby and you’ll be hanging out with cool, older kids! You’ll make new friends and won’t want to spend time with me anymore!”

“Of course we’ll spend time together, Jules! I mean, sure, I’ll make new friends – and Bobby’s with me – but you’re still…you’re still my best friend. Always! You’re acting like a baby now, but you’re not one.”

Julie sniffles and stops pacing. “You promise I’ll be your best friend, forever?”

“Forever, Julie Molina. My best friend forever, before anything and anyone else.”

Julie’s brown eyes searched his hazel ones, and she nodded and climbed onto his bed next to him. She laid down and faced away from .

“Do you wanna help me pack some school stuff?”

“No, I’m still mad at you for going to a different school.”

He shoves her playfully. “Then get off my bed.”

A beat. “No. I’m your best friend.”

Luke smiled. “Yeah, you are.”

**He’s twelve**

almost, when he and Julie go away to music summer camp the following year. And Alex is going, and Reggie, and Bobby, and Flynn. It’s going to be awesome. All his favourite people together in one place and playing music.

He had found music – found himself – in his first year of middle school and he knew that’s what he was going to do forever. Julie was ecstatic, because it meant she could spend more time with him. Rose, a musician, often spent time in the studio playing and writing music with Julie. And now Luke was invited.

After months of soaking up music, when Julie said she was interested in going to a music summer camp, he jumped at the idea. And now he was here, with the best people, and they were having fun.

He watched Alex show Julie a particular drum solo he had learned and Julie clapped along, happy.

When he first met Alex and Reggie, he knew Julie had wanted to hate them for taking up some of the time they spent together, But Alex and Reggie were too nice and too fun not to like. Reggie had all but adopted Julie as his little sister and Alex thought she was the sweetest person in the world.

Along with Bobby and Flynn – and sometimes Bobby’s younger sister Carrie – their friend group was complete.

It’s one night after official activities are over, that Luke feels the first curl of jealousy. Someone – Carrie, he thinks – suggested they all play Spin the Bottle. There were lots of other kids there too, and from the very beginning, he doesn’t like not sitting next to Julie.

It had become a birthday tradition that, after cutting her café, Julie would give him a kiss on the cheek. He didn’t want someone else getting one of her kisses.

It’s almost torturous to being with. Between her and two boys’ turns, she kisses three boys on the cheek. Then it’s Alex’s turn and again, it lands on Julie.

He hates this bottle.

Alex is sitting next to Julie, so she turns her head for him to kiss her on the cheek, when Bobby accidentally jostled her from her other side and her head turns just enough for Alex’s lips to instead land on hers.

There’s a gasp from around the circle and for a long second, Julie and Alex are kissing, too shocked to move. Then they spring apart and, looking at them, Luke couldn’t tell who looked more dismayed. That didn’t stop the jealousy from writhing inside him and he’s mad at Alex for the rest of the night.

After the night came to an end and they all decided to head back to their rooms, Luke approached Julie as she stood outside her and Flynn’s cabin. She looked sad.

“Julie?” her arms were crossed and she was looking down. “Julie, are you okay?”

“I know it was an accident, but I didn’t like kissing Alex.”

“I – I’m sorry.”

Julie rubbed at her eyes. “That was my first kiss. I don’t want that to be my first kiss. I want…” she trailed off for a moment. “I want my first kiss to be with someone I like. I mean, I like Alex, but not that way.”

Luke wrapped her in a hug. “Then it’s not your first kiss. I don’t think it can be your first kiss until you want to actually give it. It’s your choice.”

Julie sniffed and smiled into his hug. “Thanks Luke.”

When he got back to his room, he resolutely ignored Alex, who he could see was still awake, staring at the ceiling. Luke made a show of how much he was ignoring his friend as he crawled into bed and was about to fall asleep when Alex spoke.

“I think I like boys.”

**She’s twelve**

when she goes to her first school dance. She had missed her middle school dance the year before because she was home sick with a cold. She was really excited about spending time with Luke, Flynn and all her friends.

She’s already not looking forward to next year, when Luke, Alex, Reggie and Bobby would be in high school and she would still be in her last year of middle school.

So tonight was about fun and hanging out with all her favourite people and dancing to her favourite songs. And it was fun to start with. She, Flynn and Carrie danced to their favourite pop songs, and they all sat together, including the boys, to eat.

She, Alex and Flynn coaxed the rest of the boys out onto the dance floor for them all to dance together when it happened. The dreaded slow dance.

Suddenly, they were all caught wrong-footed and staring around at other classmates to see who was going to be brave enough to make the first move. And Julie loved this song, it’s a favourite of her parents and they danced to it together all the time.

Maybe there was a look on her face that expressed her desire to dance, because when her eyes fell on Luke’s, he stood straighter, took her hand and pulled her further onto the dance floor. He’s growing into a teenager, so he’s all long arms and clumsy, but he still rests his hands on her waist and she put her hands on his shoulders.

There’s almost a ripple of relief around them from the other kids and soon enough, other couples are joining them. Flynn danced with Alex, Carrie strode up to Nick who had been hovering near the edge of the dance floor, Reggie asked Carrie’s friend Kayla, and Bobby more confidently asked a girl in his year level.

As the song continued, Julie remembered how her parents danced together, so she moved her hands to instead rest her forearms on his shoulders, and her hands almost clasped together behind his neck. It was almost a hug, but she and Luke were standing too far apart. A hug was somehow less weird than a slow dance.

“Did you dance like this with someone last year?” she asked.

“Nah, we were being cool and hanging out by the food table. I think Reggie danced with Flynn, though.”

“So you’re not cool now because we’re dancing?”

“Are you kidding? We’re the coolest! We’re Julie and Luke!”

Julie beams at him and suddenly, her eyebrows quirk together in a frown. “You’re getting taller! I have to look up at you now.”

Luke grins smugly. “Catch up Molina, or I’ll leave you behind.”

The teasing in his voice is ruined by an ill-timed puberty voice crack and Julie giggled. Luke wrinkled his nose at her and she did the same.

One slow song lead into another and they continued dancing, uncaring about their classmates around them.

**He’s fourteen**

when he punches someone for the first time. It wasn’t his fault, he said, he was provoked!

Bobby was having a party at his house so he, Luke, Alex and Reggie could perform as their new band Sunset Curve. They were in high school now and when teenagers heard the word “party”, word got round. The boys thought it was cool, that they were cool. And they were, a little bit, they were getting there.

And Luke wanted Julie there for his first “gig”. So with permission from Rose and Ray, and a promise that she would stay close to Flynn, Carrie and Kayla, Julie was allowed to go. The girls were nervous when they first got there, being the 13-year-olds among teens as old as 18.

But the boys were there, and Luke, Reggie, Alex and Bobby welcomed them when the girls arrived from Carrie’s bedroom. Luke showed Julie and Flynn the band’s set up. They were excited for the boys and could not wait to tell them so. Luke grinned.

Sunset Curve’s set was an eye-opener for Julie. She had never seen her Mum perform live with her band and it was wonderful to see someone she cared about so much, having so much fun. Julie could not help but grin in response to Luke’s own grin as he sang and played around the stage. His enjoyment was contagious and soon enough, she, Flynn, Carrie and Kayla were jumping around and dancing up front.

More than once, Luke looks out at Julie and winks at her and they grin at each other.

After the first set, the band made the rounds to receive compliments, but none meant more than the ones given by Julie and the girls. There’s so many hugs, smiles and laughter. It’s perfect.

And then it’s not.

Following the boys’ second act, the girls were standing together and dancing to the music playing out of the speaker and the boys were speaking to some upperclassmen.

Another boy, a year older than himself – Luke thought – nodded over at Julie, where she’s laughing and dancing and happy. “Yeah, we’ve all been friends for ages,” Luke said, trying to move the conversation out of a dangerous territory.

“Do they go to our school?” it’s not what he said, but the way he said it that annoyed Luke.

“No, they’re in middle school.” Luke’s pissed.

“Bummer, too bad. That one with the curly hair, she’s going to be hot, I can tell. She’s already growing some ti – ”

And with a single punch, the boy was down and clutching his nose. Luke stood over him, rage darkening in his face. “Shut up!” he snapped.

There was a flurry of shock and confusion at the exchange and Julie watched from her place next to her girlfriends. Luke looked up and across at her, saw her confusion, and tried to communicate a message through a small smile.

Later, Emily and Mitch were angry only long enough for Luke to explain what made him punch the older boy. “Luke, son, real men don’t solve problems with their fists, they do it with their words. Promise me that you’ll keep that in mind if it ever happens again,” Mitch said.

“I promise.”

A month later, he punched a boy in his grade who called Alex a homophobic slur.

**She’s fourteen**

the first time Luke runs away from home. He didn’t run far though, only to her house. He laid on her bed, trying not to cry, as Julie cuddled up next to him. He fumed and raged as he spoke to her about the fight with his parents. He wanted to be a rock star and they didn’t believe in him. Sunset Curve was going to be something great and his parents didn’t support his dream.

“They want me to do what they did. Get a job, get married, have a kid. Just what they did,” he snapped.

“They’ll come round Luke, you’re too good a musician to not let you do what you want. And,” she coaxed him to turn his head and look at her. “You can still do all that stuff they want you to do, it’s just…your job will be “musician”. You can get married and have kids, if you want, but you do it on your terms. It just looks different to how they planned it and that probably scares them.”

There’s a look in his eyes, a soft, earnest look as he listens to her talk him down from his rage spiral. His hazel gaze is intent on her face and for a moment, Julie’s breath catches and her heart flutters.

“You think I can do it? Be a musician, I mean.”

She scrambles up into a seated position, looking down at him as he laid reclined on her bed, one arm under his head and the other stretched out from where it had been curled around her shoulders just moments before. “Yes, Luke. Absolutely and no doubt. You love music. You’re good at music. And you’re going to be great one day, you’re just there on the edge, I can feel it.”

Luke stared up at her, his gaze piercing. Then he suddenly sat up too and jumped from her bed. “Come on!” he said, pulling her up by the wrist.

“Where are we going?”

He was already pulling her from the room. “The studio. You just gave me an idea for a song and we’re going to work on it.”

**He’s fifteen**

when he pulls Julie from her room and rushes them towards the studio at the back of her house. Her wonderful words had caused a spark on inspiration to course though him and he didn’t want to lose it. Rose and Ray are watching TV together as Luke pulls her out the front door and Julie is laughing the whole way at his enthusiasm.

Rose and Ray listened for a moment and heard that the teens were indeed running to the studio, and not into the street for some unknown reason, and settled back into watching their TV show.

In the studio, Luke picked up a guitar he kept at the house and started strumming some chords. “Jules, that thing you just said, about being me being on the edge of great. Can you write that down?”

Julie does so and takes a seat at the closed grand piano, with a notebook she keeps close by for when she and her mother wrote music together. “Anything else in that big head of yours?”

Luke grinned at her, his eyes sparkling. “I believe that we’re just one dream away from who we’re meant to be.” Julie jots it down. “What do you think?”

“I think I give good pep talks.”

They spend hours working on it, sitting on the piano bench together, a guitar in Luke’s hands, as they lean over the notebook, workshopping ideas. This was new for them, this process. They bounced ideas of each other and queried what didn’t work. But they were always on the same page, seemingly drawing their inspiration from the same well.

It’s midnight when Ray pops his head in to tell them it’s time for bed. He doesn’t stay and while the teens said they’d head to bed “in a minute”, they were so engrossed in their work, another 30 minutes slipped by. When they finally got to a point where they felt they’d made good headways into the song, Luke grinned at Julie and she returned the expression with an added nose scrunch that made him laugh.

“We’re a powerhouse, Jules! This song’s a killer!”

“I can’t wait until it’s done and I can hear you perform it with Sunset Curve,” she smiled in return.

“No Julie, you have to perform it with us. That first verse is absolutely a part you should sing, at least. And this part here,” he points to some of the lyrics. “You could really belt that over the instrumentals.”

“You really want me?”

His smile dropped and his eyes were firm on hers as he lifted a hand to cup her cheek. “Of course Julie, always.”

There’s a look – a heartbeat of a moment – where they gaze at each other, and the world around them disappears. His eyes flicker down to her lips, and back up, and her breath caught. She thought he was going to kiss her. He thought he was going to kiss her.

Then they heard the sound of steps down the driveway again and shift apart just as Ray popped he head back in the studio. “Kids, it’s almost 1am. Bed!”

They walked back to the house, Julie to her room and Luke to the guest room, and they could feel something has changed between them. Standing at her bedroom door, Julie turned and smiled shyly at Luke from where he stood at the door across from hers.

He could feel it and she could feel it. They’re standing on the edge of something great.

As she fell asleep that night, a smile on her face, Julie was already excited for the new day and for what it would bring.

But it’s her last peaceful sleep for months because

**She’s fourteen**

still, when her mother is rushed to hospital again and it’s the worst possible news. The cancer is back and it’s too late.

**She’s fourteen**

still, when the Molina family buried beloved wife, sister, mother and friend, Rose Molina. Everyone who loved her was there. Friends and family alike came to farewell the wonderful and passionate woman who brought joy into the life of everyone she knew.

They’re standing around the grave as her coffin is being lowered into the ground and Julie could not stop crying. One hand was tightly squeezing one of her father’s and her other was holding Carlos. Her gaze was fixed on the coffin but she knew her friends were there too.

Luke was there with Emily and Mitch, Flynn was there with her family, and even Reggie, Alex, Bobby and Carrie all came to support her and say goodbye to Rose. She didn’t look over at them, too afraid to take her eyes off her mother and too afraid to look up at Luke, lest he see the depths of her despair.

He knew, though, because of course he knew. His whole family did. Standing beside her son, Emily looked first at her son’s tear-streaked face and then at Julie’s. It reminded her of the last time she had seen Rose, of their last conversation.

The diagnosis terminal and with only a few days remaining, Rose had asked to be home when she died. The house was flooded with visitors every day and it was no exception the day the Patterson family visited.

Julie had answered the door and, eyes watering, she took Luke by the hand and led him upstairs to her room, overwhelmed by the ongoing presence of so much extended family in the house. Emily and Mitch greeted Victoria and Carlos with a hug and then made their way to the kitchen to make themselves a cup of tea.

After 20 minutes Ray, who looked equally as wrecked as Julie, arrived at their side and told Emily that Rose wanted to see her.

It was hard seeing Rose, a powerhouse of a woman, so frail-looking in her bed. Rose patted the space by her bed for Emily to sit down. Emily could not stop a few tears from falling.

“I’m so sorry, Rose,” she said.

Rose shook her head. “You have always been there for our family, Emily, thank you for everything. I know this is how we met and how we’re going to end, but the parts in the middle were wonderful.”

“They were, weren’t they?”

“And we were going to be family, one day, weren’t we?”

“Oh Rose, we still are. They love each other so much, they just don’t realise it yet. Even when…” Emily sobbed. “Even when you’re gone, we’ll still be family.”

Rose smiled and took Emily’s hand. “Tell me again, what Luke said the first time.”

Emily laughed through her sob and regaled Rose again on the story of the day Luke had declared he would marry Julie.

Rose laughed. “Did you know Julie told me much the same when I got home from the hospital all those years ago?”

“No! Really?”

“She was sitting right here on the bed, in her pyjamas and ready for bed. She said ‘I love Luke because he holds my hand the best’ – more than me, she said! – ‘and he smiles with the prettiest eyes’. It was so adorable.”

The women laughed about their children’s “declarations of love” and then settled into a comfortable silence.

“Thank you Emily. Thank you for being an amazing friend and thank you for your whole family. And, if and when, they tell you they’re together, or in love, or getting married, tease them a little bit for me, please? Tell them we knew before they did and not to sweat the small stuff, because love is the most important thing.”

Emily’s tears are falling hard down her face and she nodded. “I can – I can do the first part, I can tease them. But I think I should record a message of you, for them, so they can hear your love for themselves. What do you think?”

“I think that’s perfect.”

And that had been less than two weeks ago now, and Emily could almost hear Rose’s voice with them as everyone she loved came to say goodbye. Wordlessly, she placed a hand on Luke’s shoulder and squeezed.

He looked at her for a moment, his expression morose, and then looked back at Julie. She hadn’t looked his way yet and he wished he could be there for her. She would find him when she was ready.

Just as he looked away from her, Julie flitted her gaze in his direction and then away again immediately. Her heart broken, her eyes sore from crying and her throat raspy from sobbing, she wanted nothing more than to be held.

When the service came to a close, people were invited back to the Molina house for the wake. Speeches and condolences were given but Julie barely heard a word, her head swimming with jumbled thoughts and heartache. She tried to be polite, tried to mingle and talk and console with others, but then one too many people said she “looked just like her mother” and she had to escape to her bedroom.

Julie was lying on her bed, facing away from her door, when Luke knocked gently. “Jules.”

An unconscious sob ripped from her chest and Luke didn’t hesitate to cross the distance and lie on the bed with her. Wordlessly, he slotted in next to her and hug her from behind. Julie immediately grabbed at the hand he rest on her waist and pulled it further over her side and up so she could hug his arm tight to her.

His hand tight in her grasp, he gently stroked at her cheek, trying to wipe away her tears. The touched spurred her into action and she released his hand, then turned in his embrace so she could face him.

No words were spoken, but they looked at each other in shared grief. Then Julie lowered her head to rest it in the crook of his neck and wrapped an arm over his waist.

So Luke just held her while she cried, and then when she could cry no more, he held her while she slept.

**He’s fifteen**

when Luke makes Julie laugh again for the first time since her mother’s passing. It had been two months since the funeral and the Molina household had returned to a new, sadder routine. Tia Victoria and the Patterson family were more prominent fixtures in the house. Victoria and Emily would each bring around food and between them, the family never had to cook a meal for five weeks.

Luke learned early on that Julie could not go down to her mother’s music studio. He tried not to push, but music had been a big part of their lives for so long. One day, she got as close as the studio doors, before she fell to her knees and cried. He immediately swept her into a hug.

But the “Day of Laughter” happened on what had started as a bad day. On bad days, Julie could not find the energy to go to school, so Luke or Flynn would come by afterwards to bring her any homework she needed. That day was Luke’s turn.

She’s in her bedroom, watching something on Netflix, when he arrived. They go about the normal routine – the homework is set aside and they studiously ignore the grief. But when Julie looked up at him, her eyes widened.

“Luke, what happened to your face?” He has the beginning of a black eye underneath his left eye and he tried to brush it off, but she climbed off her bed and took his face in her hands. “Luke, what happened? No, don’t try and use those puppy dog eyes on me. Tell me what happened.”

“Bobby punched me at lunch.”

Julie’s brows knitted together in a frown. “Bobby? Bobby Wilson? As in – the boy we’ve known as long as we’ve known each other? Why did he punch you?”

“Because he was being a dick. He’s been weird all year. He’s been hanging out with some guys in our year and because they’re dicks, he’s being one too.”

“And today he just punched you?”

So wrapped up in her concern for him, and him so distracted by the feeling of her hands caressing her face, neither noticed as his hands came up to instinctively and gently hold her upper arms. The corner of his mouth twitched up into a smile and his eyebrows quirked up, softening his whole expression as he looked into her dark eyes.

“Luke…” she whispered.

His hands came up over her arms, onto her shoulders and then mirrored her by taking her face in his hands. Julie broke into a smile, which caused the apples of her cheeks to become more prominent. This only served to distract Luke further, as he brushed his thumbs over her cheeks, his smile widening.

“Luke!”

And then it happened. As she smiled, his smile softened further and all of a sudden, she huffed a laugh as she pinched his uninjured cheek. Whatever she was going to say faded away as her eyes widened and she covered her mouth in surprise. Luke’s soft smile split into a massive grin, and he ducked his head forward to press his forehead against hers.

He dropped his arms back to her waist and spun her around on the spot. Julie’s arms came around his neck to hold on as he spun them round and he laughed out loud. Once he set her back on the ground, he gently nuzzled her nose in an Eskimo Kiss.

“Ow!” he said as he pulled away.

Julie laughed again. “Sorry, did that kiss hurt you?”

For a second, Luke’s face contorted into the softest, most earnest, expression she had ever seen. “No, all the smiling tweaked at the bruise.”

“And why did Bobby punch you?”

“Because I told him I was sick of him acting like a dick.”

“And did you hit him back after he hit you?”

“I woulda, but I was holding your homework.”

Then she reached up on her top toes and placed a gentle kiss on the bruise forming on his cheek. Luke stood stunned for a moment and followed along dazedly as Julie took his hand and led him downstairs to the kitchen, saying something about an icepack.

**She’s fifteen**

today, and Julie refuses to celebrate. It had been four months since her mother passed and it didn’t feel right to celebrate without her. Regardless, all her friends gave her presents anyway when they came around for dinner that night.

Flynn and Carrie were the first to arrive. Carrie’s present was a brand new dress she made Julie change into straight away and Flynn gave her some new sneakers which she said she couldn’t wait to see what Julie doodled on them.

Luke arrived next with a small stack of notebooks. “For when you’re ready,” he whispered to her when they had a moment alone.

Julie had yet to sing a song, play a note, write a lyric or even visit her mother’s studio and his gift showed her that, when she was ready, he’d be right there for her.

Alex arrived not long after with some handmade friendship bracelets and Reggie arrived last with some new coloured pencils for Julie’s growing interest in art. She was a creative person by nature, and if she couldn’t express herself in music, she found a new way to do it.

Dinner was a more sedate affair than any of her birthdays in the past. And there was no birthday cake this year, instead there were cupcakes that Carrie and Alex had made together.

There was no cake to cut, no reason to continue the “kiss the closest boy” tradition with Luke she’d started all those years ago, but she did. After Julie took the first bite of her cupcake, she leaned across to her left and kissed him on the cheek.

Reggie had just told a story that had everyone laughing uproariously, so no one saw the exchange or, in one smooth movement, as Luke took her left hand and held it throughout the night under the table.

It was still the saddest birthday she had ever had, but the glow of happiness still bloomed in her chest.

**He’s sixteen**

today and still adjusting to some massive changes in his life. He’d had another argument with his parents a few days before about his plan to be a rock star. Sunset Curve had played several local gigs and started to garner a local following. Emily and Mitch didn’t want their son “throwing his life away” and the three of them argued frequently.

He hadn’t officially run away or moved out, but he bounced between sleeping over at Julie’s, Alex’s and Reggie’s house. But not Bobby’s because that was one of the other big changes. After months of acting cruelly, Bobby had quit the band before Luke, Alex and Reggie had the opportunity to talk to him about leaving it.

The final massive change was the unnamed shift in his relationship with Julie. Nothing had been said and there was no label, but he could feel it. This change wasn’t a bad one, and he was excited to see what happened. When she was ready.

But today was for partying and the Molinas were hosting. Everyone he loved was there, including his parents. Birthday cake was cut – with a kiss on the cheek to Julie to match – and presents were given. It didn’t escape his notice that Julie hadn’t given him a present, but just having her hold his hand in front of people was enough.

No, wait. That wasn’t hand-holding, she was leading him somewhere.

He didn’t need to know where they were going. He was always going to follow.

Needless to say, he’s surprised when she leads him out to the music studio. Even more surprised when she opens the doors without even pausing and steps in.

“Jules,” he began, awed by her strength.

Then she gestured behind her and his attention was grabbed by the changes since he’d last been in there. There’s a giant Sunset Curve banner across one wall, a set of drums, a bass and his electric guitar. He looked at her, confused.

“Jules?”

Julie walked up to him and took his hands in hers, looking up at him with a tender smile. “I know you needed a new rehearsal space now that Bobby’s left the band. And so I thought about it, talked with my dad, and decided you should use mum’s studio. She absolutely would have offered for you to use it.”

Luke’s face broke into a smile, one of those smiles he gave to only her, and she smiled in return.

“And…I was thinking. Do you remember that year we went to music camp?” she asked, stepping closer into his space.

He nodded, his smile soft and eyes intently on hers. “Yeah, of course.”

“Do you remember when you said that a first kiss had to be my choice to count?”

He swallowed and let go of one of her hands so he could curl some loose hair behind her ear. “Yeah,” he whispered.

“Well, you’re the one I want to choose, if – ”

Luke tugged her flush against him, the hand by her ear moving to cup her cheek. “Can I kiss you now?”

As soon as she nods, he swoops in and presses his lips on hers. Then she’s reaching up on her tiptoes and winding her arms around his shoulders. His hands dropped to sweep around her waist, hugging her close as they explored the new feeling.

After a few good moments, Luke and Julie parted and pulled back only far enough to be able to look at each other. With a flash of a grin, he pressed a quick kiss on her lips.

“Was that what you thought your first kiss would be like?” he asked, cheeky and unable to even try to hide his grin.

She just smiled right back up at him.

Then she moved out of his embrace and almost giggled at the pout that flashed across his face. “I have one more present for you,” she said by way of explanation.

“I don’t know if I can handle anymore, Jules. I’m already in present-debt for years.”

She just laughed and walked over to the piano, which still had pride of place in the music studio. As she sat down on the bench, he moved over in a daze and stood across from her at the end of the instrument.

“Jules?” he tries to sound casual, but he’s sure she hears the anticipation in his voice.

“When dad and I were cleaning out the studio so you and the boys had enough space to “rock out”, I found a song mum had written for me. And I was wondering if you’d like to hear it?”

He didn’t even answer, his enamoured look said it all.

Then she started playing and he almost forgot to breathe. The lyrics were so hopeful and uplifting and the song suited Julie’s absolutely extraordinary voice. He was staring and he couldn’t help it, she belonged at a piano, there she was in her element.

 _And I use the pain 'cause it's part of me_ _  
And I'm ready to power through it  
Gonna find the strength, find the melody  
'Cause you showed me how to do it  
Get up, get out, relight that spark  
You know the rest by heart_

As he listened to her absolutely pour her heart out and sharing her moment of rediscovery with him,

**He’s sixteen**

today, when he realises he’s in love with Julie Molina.

**She’s fifteen**

still, when Sunset Curve becomes Julie and the Phantoms. After months of watching the boys rehearse and working through songs, it was Reggie who actually suggested it. They had been struggling to get something “perfect” in their new song Finally Free, so Julie sat at the piano and played a phrase and sang some new lyrics as a suggestion.

And it was perfect.

“Jeez Julie, no need to go so hard in the audition, you’re in the band, you’re in!” Reggie squawked, holding up his hands in front of him like her talent blinded him.

Julie laughed at him for a moment, and then saw the quiet consideration in Alex’s face and the dawning excitement on Luke’s.

“I don’t say this often about you, Reg, but that’s a great idea!” Alex said from behind his drums.

“Thanks!”

**She’s sixteen**

when she alters her birthday tradition and kisses Luke before she even cuts the cake. And he wasn’t even standing closest to her.

**She’s sixteen**

when Julie discovers the online hate about her joining the band. Sunset Curve had had a small but dedicated following by the time she joined and when they announced the band’s rebranding (thank you Flynn for the stellar work and Ray for the photoshoot), a lot of fans were angry.

**@sunsetfan_134**

ive been following you guys since the start but you’ve lost a fan now bye!

**@centauroftheuniverse**

@julieandthephantoms is a dum name change it back at least #notmysunsetcurve

**@sunsetcurved**

are you playing inclusivity bingo or something? Girls can’t rock like guys can #bringbackbobby

**@nowornevaforlyf**

what country is she even from? #shescuteanyway

**@jigglephysicsisbest**

she’d look hot if she was blonde #notmysunsetcurve

**@alwaysfridaynight**

the yoko to someone’s john lennon perhaps?

Three days later they dropped the music video for Edge of Great, the song Julie and Luke had written two years prior. And the hate stops instantly. There were some that hung onto their racism and sexism by the power of the anonymity of the internet. But they get blocked across all the band’s various social medias and as they boys said to her, that’s not the kind of fans they want anyway.

Luke was ready to fight someone over the comments they’d seen online, but then the power of Julie’s talent was a stronger hit than anything he could deliver.

**She’s sixteen**

when Luke makes her cry again. Much like in middle school, Julie was very excited to attend her school dance. This time it was Prom. And she’d be there with all her favourite people again. And with Luke, who was so much more than the last time they danced at a school event, but still the same. Still her best friend.

So when he’s half hour late to pick her up from her house to take her to the Prom, she’s worried. Then another half hour and several unanswered phone calls and texts later, she’s mad.

She called Reggie, she called Alex and she even called Alex’s boyfriend Willie. None of them picked up. She wants to call Emily, but Luke hasn’t been home for a couple of weeks at this point over the same argument about his future as a musician.

Nick, Carrie and Flynn swing by and pick her up to take her to the Prom, but she doesn’t enjoy herself. She sits at a table all night and checks her phone, calling Luke and her boys frequently, to no avail.

It was 10.30pm when Ray called her with news. And Julie starts crying, right there at Prom.

“They’re at the hospital,” her father said on the phone. “The nurse just called me because I’m Luke, Alex’s and Reggie’s emergency contact,” the way he said it told her that statement was news to him too. “All three of them and Willie got terrible, incredibly dangerous food poisoning from a hotdog vendor. They’re stabilised now but it was touch-and-go for a short period.

“I’m coming to pick you up and we’ll go to the hospital together.”

Flynn told Julie later that she did indeed explain the situation and say goodbye before she left, but Julie only remembers rushing outside to wait for her father to arrive.

The moment she rushed into the boys’ hospital room, she bursts into tears at the sight of them hooked up to various medical machines and a heart rate monitor. Willie is the only one awake and she gives him a light hug before she sits down next to Luke’s bed and takes his hand.

After a few minutes, Ray leaves the room to call the boys’ parents, because despite the issues they had, they still deserved to know what had happened.

Luke was the first to wake up, about 45 minutes after Julie and Ray arrived. She was resting her head on the bed, her lips pressed to the back of his hand.

“Sorry I missed Prom,” he said, his voice raspy.

Julie sat straight up, looked at him and burst into tears again. He tried to sit up but was too exhausted to do so. He called her name and, unable to reach any other part of her, patted her hand.

“Are the others okay?”

She wiped at her eyes and as she nodded. “Willie is,” she looked over to him and saw that he’d fallen back asleep. “Was awake, and Alex and Reggie haven’t woken up yet, but you’re all going to be okay.”

Luke relaxed back into his pillow with a relieved sigh and he closed his eyes for a moment. “Julie,” he sighed. “I love you so much.”

The tears were back in an instant. “Oh,” she stood up and gave him a gentle kiss. “Luke Patterson, I love you so, so, much.”

“I promise I’ll tell you again when I’ve not just had a brush with death and I’m not on pain meds,” he said, stroking her cheek now that he could reach. “You look really beautiful.”

He motioned to her dress, but the way he was looking at her let Julie know he also meant more. Before she could speak, Emily and Mitch came through the door, followed closely by Ray. His parents came right up to his bed and Emily dropped a kiss on his forehead, tears collecting in her eyes. Mitch took the hand not currently held by Julie and Ray fondly patted his knee before he went to the other side of the room and sat between Alex and Reggie’s bed.

With a final, brief kiss, Julie let go of Luke’s hand and went and sat with her father, so the Pattersons could have some privacy. “Is he okay?” Ray asked.

“He told me he loved me,” Julie said by way of answer, unable to keep a smile off her face.

“Well, he’s still got his wits about him then, that’s good.” Ray chuckled at his own joke as he squeezed her hand. “If you’re happy, I’m happy.”

“I’ll be even happier when they’re all safe, well and home with us,” she said, casting her gaze across her three bandmates and Willie.

“Actually, mija, I wanted to talk to you about that.”

**He’s seventeen**

when Julie and the Phantoms has their first meeting about management. As they were all underage and because he was the father of one and legal guardian of two of the others, Ray came with them to look out for their interests.

Since the boys came home from the hospital, all of them, Ray had begun the legal process of becoming the legal guardian for Alex and Reggie. He had been angered by the phone calls with the boys’ parents. Reggie’s parents had first asked how much the medical bills were before asking how their son was, and then outright called him a burden who was more trouble than he was worth.

The phone call with Alex’s parents was somehow more infuriating. When Ray had explained what had happened, Alex’s mother said it was God’s punishment for her son’s unholy lifestyle.

Ray petitioned to the city for guardianship the very hour after he spoke with the heartbroken boys.

Luke could have gone home with Emily and Mitch after being discharged by the hospital, but the whole ordeal scared the teens so much, they were reluctant to be out of each other’s sight.

One of the surprises of the whole ordeal had been the publicity. Julie and the Phantoms’ name was all over the news for several days, the headlines detailing the near fatalities of young boys who were following their musical dreams. Then came the health inquest and civil and criminal charges for medical bill restitution.

It only took an hour, after the first time one of the local news stations played a portion of Edge of Great as part of their news package, for Destiny Management to contact them via Twitter and Instagram.

Sitting in the waiting area, Luke’s knee bounced up and down until Julie gently squeezed his knee. And Alex would have been pacing had Willie not come along for moral support and was currently holding his boyfriend’s hand. Reggie was babbling more than usual, but all of them – as veteran friends of Reggie Peters – took it in stride.

The meeting itself went well. Andi Parker discussed several ideas for the direction of the band. When she tried to suggest, as a “selling point”, that Julie and Luke present themselves as “available” to draw interest from fans, Reggie and Alex burst out laughing before the couple could even protest.

“Even if they agreed to it, it would fall apart the first time they performed,” Alex said.

“Yeah, it’s not an act when they’re performing, they naturally ooze chemistry,” Reggie added.

Both Alex’s and Julie’s noses scrunched up in distaste at the word “ooze”, but the very act of Luke’s attention being grabbed by Julie’s motion and the subsequent lovesick expression on his face convinced Andi the whole idea was a lost cause.

All four of them were excited by the creative freedom they were offered as part of a contract. There seemed to be an understanding from the company’s view that being young, they were still finding themselves creatively.

Ray was pleased with the offer to send the four to a college of their choice to study music, with the caveat they minored in business or public relations. Luke, surprisingly, was also excited by the prospect because he thought it would be a breakthrough in the relationship with his parents.

Andi told them to take time to think about it, and it only takes three days of conversation for the band to come to an agreement, with Ray’s hearty blessing and support, to sign with Destiny Management.

And Luke’s correct: his parents are thrilled.

**She’s sixteen**

on the last day of her sophomore year at high school when a clear vision of her future is placed in front of her. The Yearbook Club is handing out at the newly printed books and at lunch, Flynn and Carrie are gleefully giggling at something inside the pages.

“What are you looking at?” Julie asked.

Almost smug, the girls push the book at her, page open to the ‘Most Likely’.

“Most Likely to Be a Pop Sensation: Carrie Wilson. Of course you will, Car – ”

“Not that! That!” she said, pointing further down the page.

Julie blushed.

Most Likely to Be Soulmates: Julie Molina and Luke Patterson.

“Hey, Soulmate.” Julie jumped as Luke’s voice crooned from behind her as his hands slid onto her shoulders, and he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “Learn anything new today?”

“You’re going to be insufferable now, aren’t you?”

“Why, Soulmate, what do you mean?”

“Sorry – insufferabler.”

He chuckled as he sat next to her and Alex, Willie and Reggie took their spots too. “That’s not a word, Soulmate, maybe you should hit the books again.”

He slid the Yearbook across in front of him and turned the page, which caused Julie to blush further, because it was a splash page of Most Likely To Make It: Julie and the Phantoms.

Almost six of the dozen photos included shots of Luke and/or Julie looking besotted at the other. Luke pulled out his own copy of the Yearbook and flipped to the same page that Carrie’s was open to. He handed her a marker and grinned, his expression mirroring many of the ones on the page.

“Can I get an autograph from Julie, of Julie and the Phantoms?” he asked.

Julie rolled her eyes but obliged, and then decided to give, as well as she got.

_Dear Luke, my biggest fan. Our best days are yet unknown. Love, Julie._

His teasing smirk dropped and quirked into a soft, heartfelt smile that warmed her heart as he leaned over and kissed her softly on the temple. Julie pulled her own Yearbook out of the small stack of books she had with her and opened to the same page, pushing it in front of him.

_Dear Julie, my life’s muse. You’re a part of me, now ‘til eternity. Love, Luke._

“Eww, barf!” Carrie said from across the table, playfully snatching her own Yearbook back from the couple.

“How could you even read that, Luke’s got terrible handwriting?” Alex asked.

“Apparently reading his handwriting upside-down makes it easier to decipher,” she sassed back.

The table all laughed at Luke’s expense, including Julie, who did snuggle into his side to ease even the minor offence he may have taken. While her friends settled into conversation and eating, Julie luxuriated in the gentle circles Luke traced into her hip and she looked at the Yearbook again.

Most Likely To Be Soulmates.

The very thought of that sent her heart racing and put a smile on her face.

**He’s seventeen**

when Julie and the Phantoms record their first album. The summer break between his junior and senior year had been incredibly productive for many reasons.

Firstly, the Molina family officially adopted Alex and Reggie.

Secondly, the bandmates holed up in the studio for three weeks and finished the last few songs they needed and refined some of their older ones to add to the album. ‘Into the Starlight’, ‘Late Last Night’, ‘Flying Solo’, and ‘Stand Tall’ – the latter of which would also be the name of the album, joined their existing songs ‘Edge of Great’, ‘Finally Free’ and ‘Bright’.

They reworked ‘This Band is Back’, which they’d written after recovering from their near-fatal food poisoning. And they also added ‘My Name is Luke’ and ‘Crooked Teeth’.

The third task the band had to overcome was the legal battle that arose when Bobby, through his musician father’s connections, released two songs, ‘Get Lost’ and ‘Long Weekend’. Luke had been driving and almost swerved off the road when he heard ‘Get Lost’ on the radio.

He’d written that song.

It was an affront that he, Destiny Management and – surprisingly – Carrie, did not stand for. For her part, Carrie snuck into her brother’s room and stole the original sheets the songs was written on. Luke was able to produce the original song book the pages had been torn from. After definitively being able to line up the pages’ exact place they had come from in the book, Luke was given writing credit on the songs.

As a result of Bobby’s greed, the ‘Stand Tall’ album was in need of two more promised songs to fulfil their agreement with Destiny Management. After much soul-searching, discussions with their parents and blessings of their fellow bandmates, Julie and Luke each decided to add a song each to the album.

Julie added ‘Wake Up’, the song Rose had written for Julie, who then played it for the first time on Luke’s sixteenth birthday.

And Luke added a song that only he, his bandmates and his parents knew existed, ‘Unsaid Emily’. At the height of their arguments and Luke pseudo-running away, he spent two days hiding in the music studio pouring out his soul about his feelings about his relationship with them, specifically his mother.

The last third of the band’s summer was spent recording the album and when it came time for Luke, with light back up from the band, to record ‘Unsaid Emily’, it caused the producer, audio engineers and even Andi to cry.

Ray was hired for the official photoshoot that would accompany the marketing of the album when it was released later in the year. It was a fun shoot that allowed the bandmates to enjoy themselves and unwind after such a hectic summer.

**He’s seventeen**

when their first album, ‘Stand Tall’, is released. And to rave reviews, too. Reviewers praised the band’s chemistry, the beautiful blend of their voices when they sung in harmony and the thoughtful and empowering lyrics.

The album itself debuts in the top ten and is a surprise to mostly only Alex when it hits number one less than a week later.

Julie and the Phantoms blows up almost overnight. They spend the entirety of the their first term break on a whirlwind tour of interviews. There’s nervous and excited flutterings from the band when they first hear rumours of a Grammys nomination for Best Rock Album. When someone at an interview mentions whispers of ‘Wake Up’ being nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance, Julie bursts into tears.

Aside from the reaction of their families, the best reaction they get is at their own school, because they know these kids, they’re friends with some, they liked and respected others and appreciated the rest.

The school even awards them the inaugural Musician’s Spirit Award, for exemplifying the passion and drive of the school’s musical traditions.

Luke can already tell that his senior year of school is going to be great.

**He’s eighteen**

when the Julie and the Phantoms attends the Grammys. It’s astonishing and surreal and exhilarating. Julie looks stunning in her purple gown, he feels good in his blue suit and the smiles on Reggie’s and Alex’s faces.

It only feels all the better because they were indeed nominated for Best Rock Album and Julie received a nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance.

They get to perform, it’s the best performance of ‘Stand Tall’ they’ve ever done and they’re riding high on audience’s shared joy all night. And when Brendon Urie claps him on the back and shakes his hand as you sit down, Luke didn’t think he could be any happier.

Apparently he was, when his “Soulmate” wins Best Pop Solo Performance.

Luke is the first to jump to his feet, followed closely by Alex and Reggie. She hugs them all, then turns back to Luke for a quick kiss before she walks up on stage. Julie’s resplendent when she accepts her Grammy and Luke thought his face would split with how hard he’s smiling.

“This is beyond my wildest dreams, thank you so much,” she said, tears shining in her own eyes. “I first of all would like to thank my band mates, so, so much. Luke, Alex, Reggie – you are my best friends and my life would be nothing without you. Luke, thank you for being my rock during the worst time in my life and guiding me gently back into music.

“I love you so much, Soulmate,” she smiled at their shared joke. “To Andi and the rest of the team at Destiny Management, thank you for taking a chance on four kids who were rocked by near-fatal hotdogs. Flynn, Carrie, Willie, Emily, Mitch, my Tia Victoria, Carlos and my Dad Ray.” She heard Reggie ‘woot’ in the crowd. “Thank you for all your love and support, it fills me with joy to have you in my life.

“Oh, I also have to thank Principal Lessa for not giving up on me and giving me a second chance.

“And finally, to mi Mama. ‘Wake Up’ were your words to me, you were always there for me, even after you were gone. I feel you every time I sing or play and I am who I am because of you. Gracias – thank you – for everything, I hope I’ve made you proud. I can feel you here tonight. This one’s for you.”

She ends by thrusting her award into the air, looking up and sending a kiss to the heavens.

Luke could almost feel the ghost of Rose Molina sitting beside him, grinning from ear-to-ear.

**She’s seventeen**

when she finally gets the Prom she always dreamed of. Last year had been terrible – top three worst days of her life – but tonight would forever be in the top three best nights of her life.

She, Flynn and Carrie all got ready at Julie’s house and she was overjoyed when her boys arrived in an actual limousine. After Ray took photos, the six of them were off to pick up Kayla and Willie before they went to take their own photos at locations special to them.

They spent so much time taking photos, they had to rush to make it to the school in time for the band to open the event with a selection of songs from their album.

Julie and the Phantoms rocked the Prom with ‘Bright’, ‘Finally Free’, ‘Edge of Great’ and ‘Stand Tall’. As she hit her final, sustained note in ‘Stand Tall’, she looked out over her band and tears came to her eyes. With her boys’ final year of high school coming to a close, this would likely be the last time they performed together at school.

Luke, who always seemed to be looking at her, saw the look in her eye and took her hand, kissed it and then motioned for her to take her bow before their classmates. “The amazing, extraordinary, Grammy-award winning star that is Julie Molina, everybody!”

He led their classmates in a cheer, to which Julie took her moment before she turned it back on her boys. “And here’s to Luke, Alex and Reggie! We’ll miss them next year!”

Another raucous applause rattled the school gym as the boys took their bow together. Then they all came together for a hug, before they took each other’s hands and took another bow, all together.

After they came down off stage, they turned their attention to enjoying the event for what it was – a time for them all to enjoy each other’s company and have fun as teens. When a slow dance came on, Julie and Luke come together with none of the awkwardness of their first dance as pre-teens and from the smile on each of their faces, they remember it.

“You beat me,” she said with a nod, indicating their height difference.

He swooped in for a brief kiss before one of the teachers saw. “But I’ll never leave you behind.”

Once the Prom is over, Carrie – and Bobby, unfortunately – are the hosts for the after party. Reggie got drunk and even Alex was on the drunk side of tipsy.

There were moments, when Julie was sitting down in the comfort of Luke’s arms, that she watched her friends with a soft warmth in her chest. At one point, she and Luke were kissing and the warmth was stoked into a heat. So she pulled away, because they had a plan.

It was just after 1am when the limo returned and Julie said goodbye to her friends to say Luke was taking her home.

But they didn’t go to her home, they went to his. Luke’s parents had gone away for the weekend to visit Mitch’s parents. Julie tried to make a joke about “home field advantage” but they were both too nervous.

She’d been in his bedroom hundreds of times – thousands, even – over the years, but this time felt different. They kiss, but they were both in their own heads too much.

Then she spied the keyboard he kept stashed in his room in case they wanted to write music. “Can I play you something? I’ve been working on it for a while.”

Luke listened, enraptured, as Julie performed. He was always captivated by her, more so when they were on stage together, but this was special. It was for him. He could tell from the outset that the first verse was meant for him, as Julie’s voice dropped down an octave.

He toyed with the idea of picking up his guitar to play along with her, but he nixed that idea in favour of sitting flush next to her. In the years to come, Luke would always tease Julie for “seducing” him, but that night he just watched in awe as she sung about how she thought they made perfect harmony together.

When the song came to an end, Luke leaned over and kissed her, slow and tender. With their feelings so succinctly put down in music, the nerves fled.

**He’s eighteen**

when Julie and the Phantoms first go on tour. It was summer break between his graduation and first year of college. As he thought, his parents had been more accepting of his dream when they found out that he was: one) going to college and two) minoring in public relations.

He had decided to minor in public relations because, as one of the two frontpeople for the band, he thought it would help. Alex, who thought knowing more about the behind-the-scenes would help ease his anxiety, decided to minor in business. Reggie, with his head for numbers, talked to Andi about minoring in accounting instead.

But that oncoming storm was still to come and for now the boys and Julie were excited to share a tour bus for the first time. As Julie was still not quite 18, she was required to have a guardian present, so Victoria stayed with Carlos and Ray went with the band.

Tour life was novel at first, but the constant hours on the road, paused intermittently for sold out, high-energy shows, started to get on everyone’s nerves.

Luke and Julie had their first fight as a couple and the fallout was traumatic for all who witnessed it backstage. But then they went out on stage and the moment Julie hit her first high note, Luke’s ire melted away. And then when they sang to each other and shared a microphone during Finally Free, all was forgiven.

“And you’re a part of me,” she sang.

“And you’re a part of me,” he sang back.

Apparently all they needed, Alex and Reggie wordlessly agreed with a single look on stage, was for them to hear in their own words how much they meant to each other.

The following day on the bus, the couple were attached at the hip. If Julie wasn’t snuggling into Luke’s side, they were holding hands or, if she got up, his eyes were following her pitifully.

Ray, Alex and Reggie each got photos to bring up at a later date.

The tour itself was among the best months of Luke’s life. He was surrounded by the people he loved, doing what they loved the most.

In Houston, it’s there that Luke realised making music was all he was ever going to do. Julie and Reggie had moved down the catwalk during ‘Stand Tall’ and from his position at his microphone, he could see the thousands of screaming people worshipping the angel that was Julie, haloed by her spotlight.

She turned to him and grinned. And it hits him, there on stage as he belts out his final note, that he was going to spend the rest of his life with her. He’d always said it, always felt it, but her grin was what crystallised his future in his eyes. They’d do this forever.

**She’s seventeen**

when a fan makes her cry. It’s after the show in Houston and the band took time to sign autographs and take photos with fans. There was this one little girl, her own dark eyes framed by big, curly, hair, equally as dark as Julie’s.

When Julie knelt down to sign the proffered poster, the little girl spoke to her in Spanish. Luke, who had been standing nearby signing a different poster, heard the exchange. Julie had been part of his life longer than they had been a couple or in a band, and he had learned Spanish all through high school so he could be part of her world that little bit more.

“You’re my favourite singer, Julie,” the little girl said, her eyes wide in wonder. “I’ve never seen someone who looks like me be a famous singer. I want to be like you when I grow up.”

Julie warmly thanked the little girl and, with permission from her mother, gave her a hug. After she waved the little girl goodbye and signed more autographs, the band went back to the hotel.

The moment she was out of the public eye, Julie burst into tears. Reggie beat anyone else to a hug before she could explain her tears.

Then everyone was in tears when she did explain.

**She’s eighteen**

when she appears on a television interview for the first time. It’s the winter break in her senior your of high school and Julie and the band were flown out to New York.

On set, Julie sat between Luke and Alex, her nerves calmed by their reliable presence.

“So Julie, you’re already a Grammy award winner, what’s next for you?” the host asked.

“Just going to keep working hard, we have to get that album win,” she smiled, nudging the boys on either side of her. “I think next year is going to be big for us, musically. This is the first year I haven’t seen my boys every day now that they’re at college – ”

“It’s the worst!” Reggie groans. “Not seeing Julie, that is. College is great,” he looked directly at the camera. “Stay in school, kids!”

There’s laughter in the studio at Reggie’s spirited instruction. A flutter of happiness unfurled in Julie’s chest because she was with her boys again. Luke caught the happy smile on her face and could not help but lean over and press a kiss on her temple. The movement caused a chorus of ‘awws’ in the audience.

“I was going to come to your relationship later, but seeing as you’ve provided an opening. Julie, Luke, the internet wants to know: how long have you been together?”

“Forever!” Alex and Reggie chime in before the couple could speak.

Luke waited for the cooing and laughter to die down. “Officially? Since my 16th birthday, so a little over three years now.”

His eyes were soft as he looked at Julie, who smiled tenderly at him. Alex and Reggie looked at each other from opposite ends of the couch, knowing and fondly exasperated looks on their faces.

The wide shot of Luke and Julie gazing at each other lovingly, and Alex and Reggie’s expressions become the newest meme template overnight.

“But,” Julie said, finally breaking eye contact and looking at the host. “Luke and I have known each other since I was 5 and he was 6. Apparently I shared my favourite marker and made a friend for life.”

More ‘awws’ came from the crowd. Then the host indicated to his giant screen, where a baby photo of Julie and Luke, no older than 6 and 7, respectively, was being show on screen. They were deep in thought over a picture they were colouring in. Then the image swept sideways to an picture Reggie had posted the previous week on Instagram of the couple bent over a notebook as they wrote a song.

Luke shrugged as he threw an arm over Julie’s shoulders. “Nothing changes.”

“Starting in the first year they were together, our school Yearbook committee declared them Most Likely to be Soulmates! Two years in a row,” Alex added.

“Alex, I bet you $10 they’ll be again this year, even though we’re out of school,” Reggie said.

The pair shook hands across the couple, much to said couple’s chagrin.

“And are you soulmates?”

Luke looked at Julie, a playful eyebrow arching at the host’s question. Julie’s cheeks flushed and she looked down. She still made the point of linking her fingers with the hand he had draped around her shoulders.

“I don’t even like thinking about Luke, or any of these boys, not being in my life. Luke is my best friend, before anything else. And,” she flits her gaze up to him, a blush high on her cheeks. “It seems a little heavy to say, but how many people get to say they met the love of their life at 5 years old?”

There is a chorus of cooing throughout the audience, which only rose in volume as Luke, seemingly unable to restrain himself, lowered his face to Julie’s in a bruising kiss. He followed it up with a quick kiss to her cheek, nose and temple before he turned to look at the host again with the biggest grin on his face.

The host turned to more topics, but throughout the interview and their performance at the end, Luke and Julie keep sneaking glances at each other.

**She’s twenty**

when Julie and the Phantoms release their second album. Talk of Grammy nominations begin straight away, but that wasn’t what shocked the bandmates the most. It was the absolute phenomena that became ‘Perfect Harmony’.

The song debuted at number 1, where it remained for six weeks. They could only watch in amazement as #perfectharmony trended on Twitter, Tik Tok and Instagram, in which people would confess to their best friend or crush while dancing along to the song.

And when the band dropped the music video, the internet lost its collective marbles.

**@juliephantomsfan**

Get you a man that looks at you the way Luke looks at Julie #perfectharmony #juke

**@wherewebelong**

It’s two weeks until my wedding and now my partner and I have a new first dance.

**@julezrulez**

Apparently @thatjuliemolina started the song and then she and @mynameisluke finished it together. That’s love!

**@immastandtall**

Can @thatjuliemolina and @mynameisluke stop being couple goals? It’s embarrassing for the rest of us!

**@phantomtheories**

Ahhhh! I just found out the #perfectharmony video dropped on their 5yr anniversary! Happy Bday @mynameisluke!

Perfect Harmony, in the years to come, would become known as an iconic love song and would often be listed in top ten songs for weddings.

So they’re almost not surprised when they get a Best Pop Duo Grammy and Best Music Video nomination. They are certainly surprised when they get nominated for Best Album, Best Rock Album, and Best Rock Performance.

They’re floored when they win all five.

**She’s twenty**

when she and Luke have a pregnancy scare. They were always, always careful. If either of them were too tired, too much in a hurry or second-guessing the use of a condom, they stopped.

So, it really is a shock to Julie when she realised she was a week late for her period. The possibility shocked her and after an afternoon of fretting through her classes, she called Luke. She was not so callous to say it over the phone, and they instead meet at their shared apartment off campus.

Julie tried to ignore the absolutely endearing, loving expression on his face as they sat snuggled together on the couch. But then he had to go and kiss her furrowed brow as she bit at her lower lip nervously.

“Julie, what’s wrong? You can tell me anything, you know that.”

Her heart fluttered at the adoration in his voice and she fiddled with the long necklace he’d worm for longer than they’d been Julie and the Phantoms. His leg starts to bounce.

“I might be pregnant.”

His leg stopped.

Luke uttered an unarticulated “oh” sound and she finally looked up. He was looking at her, but after knowing him for literally three quarters of her life, she could tell his mind was jumping all over the place, like when he had scraps of ideas for a song and was trying to piece them together.

When his eyes refocused on her, and took in her lower-lip biting, he began gently rubbing a hand up and down her arm. “Sorry, I’m…processing. You said “might”, have you – ”

“No, I just – a tampon fell out of my bag as I was pulling out a book and it made me realise I’m late. By about a week.”

“A week. Okay. So we…a week. Okay.”

Julie almost giggles at his looping thoughts. Instead she kissed his cheek and he seemed to reboot.

“I wanted to tell you first. I’ll go buy a test now and – ”

“No!” the vehemence in his voice shocked them both. “I mean,” he rubbed the back of his head. “I’ll go. You’re one of the most recognisable people on the planet at the moment. With sunglasses, a cap and some sleeves, I’m just another white guy.”

Julie did giggle at the sleeves comment, and ran her fingers appreciatively up his arms. With a quick kiss on her lips, Luke stood up and went to their bedroom. He returned moments later with his disguise and shucked them on. After a quick spin for her approval, he gave her another quick kiss and then left.

In the 40 minutes he was gone, Julie’s mind whirled with all kinds of possibilities. Of there being a baby and what that meant. Of there not being a baby and what that meant as well. And when he walked back through the door, she’d even worried, in the back of her mind, that he wouldn’t return.

She felt shame that that had even crossed her mind.

He pulled out three different boxes, his smile shy. “I didn’t know which one to get, so I went to three different stores to get a brand at each.”

Julie stood from the couch and reached on her tiptoes to press a kiss on his lips. The next few minutes of selecting and using the test was awkward, but nothing was more filled with tension than the wait for the test to be ready.

Normally brimming with energy and never not moving, Luke was still as he held Julie’s hand. “I love you, Julie. No matter what that little stick says, you’ve got me.”

Julie yanked on their held hands and pulled him down for a kiss. “I love you too, more than anything.”

“More than music,” they whispered to each other.

The moment was then broken by the alarm on her phone going off. With a deep breath, she looked at the test. And exhaled.

Negative.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, staring at the pregnancy test. “How are you feeling?” he asked, looking her in the eye.

“Relieved. Weird.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes. I mean…I love you, I do, but – the timing. We’re still really young, and in college and there’s so much we have to do still. But – ”

Luke nods. “Not now doesn’t mean not at all.”

Julie looks up at him, her eyes sparkling. “Yeah?” she confirmed.

“Someday, just not today,” he smiled. “Only if that’s what you want!”

She smiled back. “Someday.”

It was a combination stress brought on by exams, releasing an album and the Grammys that had apparently thrown her body off kilter, because she gets her period two days later, but the day’s experience remains a secret between them. They don’t tell Flynn, nor Alex, nor Reggie. The remainder of the pregnancy tests get stashed in a bag at the back of the closet.

For someday, just not today.

**He’s twenty three**

when he goes to Ray. He’s not asking for permission, because Julie is her own person. But Luke has a goal and he’s hoping Ray is willing to part with something that will, one day, make Julie happy.

He leaves the Molina household feeling much lighter, but the ring-box shaped bulge weighs heavily on his mind. Now it’s a question of when to ask.

**He’s twenty four**

when he proposes. Anyone who knew Luke would have suspected that when he proposed, he would do so in song, or on stage, or in some grand, romantic gesture. And Luke at 16 – or even 20 – may have done that, but fame and years in the spotlight has given him the desire to be able to keep some things private.

So when they’re back in Los Angeles after their latest tour, he organises a time with his parents so he and Julie can go over to his childhood home for dinner. As it’s their first night back, everyone else important in their life is there too. Ray, Carlos, Victoria, Alex, Reggie, Willie and even Kayla, who Reggie had reconnected with when they caught up with her during their shows in New York.

Dinner is a wonderful, personal affair with laughter and memories and good food. After dinner, everyone splits off into their own little groups. Reggie and Willie are catching up with Carlos, Kayla is regaling Victoria and Emily with tales of her life in choreography in New York, and Ray and Mitch are enquiring with Alex about his growing interest in the music industry as a business.

Without raising any attention, Luke pulls Julie into his childhood bedroom down the end of the house. Nostalgia floods them both at the sight of his old bed, posters and random assortment of items that reminded them of their childhood. He watches as she coos over old photos and bits and pieces that bring back particularly fond memories.

He clears his throat. “Jules?”

Her head turns instantly, surprised by the slight quiver in his voice. Julie instantly goes to him and stands before him, cupping a hand on his cheek and stroking gently. He sits on the end of his bed and guides her to stand between his legs, which she willingly does, after which she cupped his other cheek and gently framed his smiling face in a soft caress.

“Did you know – do you remember, when I was going to middle school for the first time and you got really angry at me because we wouldn’t be in the same school for a year?”

Julie grinned. “You said I was acting like a baby.”

He returned her grin, his eyes softening into his patented I-Love-Julie look. “Do you remember what else I said that day?”

She bit her lip as her gaze searched his eyes, trying to recall their conversation from when she was literally 10 years old. “That you were my best friend, forever?”

He nodded. “Before anything and anyone else. You know that’s still true, right?”

Julie’s brows furrowed for a moment as she gazed down at Luke. “Of course Luke. Forever.”

He nodded again. “Forever. Before anything. So even though you’re my bandmate, you’re my best friend first. And even though you’re my writing partner, you’re my best friend first. And even though you’re my girlfriend – my love – you’re still my best friend first.”

Julie’s eyes start watering and her breath becomes shallow and accelerated. “Luke?”

“And,” he gently guides her backwards so he can slip off the bed onto his knees, followed by a swift movement where he reaches under his bed and pulls out a book. “Even though you’re my Soulmate…”

The book – their old Yearbook – falls open in his hands and he turns it for her to look at so she can better read the page.

Most Likely To Be Soulmates.

And next to it, in his scrawled, teenage handwriting: _You’re a part of me, now ‘til eternity. Love Luke._

But it’s different than the last time she saw it because dangling from a ribbon next to his words, is a ring. When she her eyes find his again, he’s now changed from being on two knees, to being on one.

“Luke?”

“Julie. Soulmate. Bandmate. Writing Partner. My Best Friend Forever. Will you marry me, and be my Wife too?”

She’s crying. He’s crying. And there’s smiles on both their faces on both their faces because

**She’s twenty three**

when she says yes.

**She’s twenty four**

when she hears her mother’s voice again.

It’s the night before Julie and Luke get married and everyone they know and love has gathered for the rehearsal dinner.

Julie and Luke are radiant in their joy, sitting together at the table, unable to go a moment without looking, smiling or touching each other. With tomorrow being the big day, the couple had wanted to keep the dinner as low-key and forego as much of the official proceedings to a minimum.

The couple were surprised by the overwhelming number of pictures present in the Slideshow of Their Life (named as such by Ray, who had put the presentation together). There’s a photo of Julie kissing Luke on the cheek at her seventh birthday. There’s photos from their various shows, from cozying up together on their first ever tour bus after their very first fight. There’s even the teary-eyed, big grinning faces when they’d come back from Luke’s room the night he proposed, Rose’s engagement ring glittering on Julie’s finger.

It’s beautiful to see the journey and no one knows that more than Emily Patterson.

So with permission from Ray, she makes the speech.

“Luke was six years old when he told me he was going to marry Julie,” she said, smiling at the self-satisfied grin on her son’s face. “Because she shared her favourite purple marker and sang him a song: ‘she’s the bestest singer in the world’, he said.”

Luke shrugs and swoops in for a quick peck to Julie’s lips. “I wasn’t wrong.”

Emily nodded. “Julie and music, it’s the two things in the world he’s always been sure of. And even when I didn’t believe in one of those things,” here she makes eye contact with Luke, and nods her apology. “There was always one person who did.”

Emily takes a breath and looks around the room. First at Luke and Julie, then at Mitch, and then to the Molinas, who were as much her family as her own son and husband.

“I made a promise, about 10 years ago,” her eyes snapped to Julie, whose own eyes start to water. “I promised that when Luke and Julie told me they were dating, or in love, I would tease them. And I did. But I also made another promise. To pass on a message when I thought the time was right.”

With a nod to Flynn, who stood by a speaker, a long-gone, but still long-loved voice filled the room.

“Julie, mija, my darling. When you hear this, I know you’ll want to be sad, but I don’t want you to be, because I know today is a happy day. You have either just found your love, or shared your love with our family and friends. Or maybe you’ve just told us you’re getting married. Maybe you’re getting married today, or tomorrow.

“What I do know is that Luke is beside you, holding you, loving you like you deserve to be loved. He’s a smart boy, that one, and I know deep in my very soul, that you two will be by each other’s side forever. You both have such a passion for life and music, that your love can only be equally as beautiful.

“But just like in writing any song, you have to work at love. Don’t sweat the small stuff, but work together to make it the best it can be. You love each other and that’s most precious gift. I only want one thing for you in life, Julie, and that’s for you to be happy. I love you so much, so smile, mija, enjoy your day and love that boy of yours.”

The recording comes to an end and there’s silence in the room as everyone tries to imprint the sound of the beloved Rose Molina. Julie is crying, but as her mother asked of her, she’s smiling through her tears. And just as Rose surmised, Luke was beside her, holding her, and looking at her with all his love conveyed in his eyes.

Emily raised her glass. “With the blessing of Rose Molina, who is no doubt looking down on us and telling us to get on with the party, I’d like to raise a toast to Julie Molina and Luke Patterson. May you love as dearly as you always have from that very first purple marker.”

**They’re 24 and 25**

when they say “I do”.

**Author's Note:**

> This 15400 story came about because I had the picture in my head of a little Luke and little Julie holding hands, and since I don't draw, I wrote it instead.
> 
> And really, I could have kept going through more moments, but seeing as the story began with the theme of marriage, I felt it was a nice full circle to end that way too.
> 
> All social media handles were made up off the top of my head and I apologise if anyone has the same. But, funnily enough, someone once told me I'd be hot if I was blonde.
> 
> And oof, it's the first time I've written fanfiction in two years, hope it's okay :)


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